What is a veggan or an ovo lacto vegetarian? Or for that matter a pescetarian?
Veggan is a new trend in plant-based eating. It’s simply vegans who eat eggs. Here at Real Foods, we refer to ‘veggans’ as vegetarians! Or more accurately ovo-vegetarians. That’s people who follow a vegetarian diet with eggs (that’s the ovo bit).
Lacto-Vegetarians - are vegetarians who consume dairy but not eggs with their vegetarian diet.
Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarian - Vegetarians who eat cheese or consume milk as well are generally referred to as ovo-lacto vegetarians, which is a bit of a mouthful but an accurate reflection of their dietary choices.
A vegetarian who eats fish is usually called a pesco-vegetarian or a pescetarian.
A flexitarian is usually a vegetarian who will eat meat on occasion, it’s often considered a gateway to vegetarianism or simply a way to describe people who follow a mainly vegetarian diet but make exceptions for the occasional piece of ethically sourced meat.
Pollotarian - much like the pescatarian, this “semi-vegetarian” diet restricts meat consumption to poultry and fowl only. Pollotarians do not consume red meat or fish and seafood.
Freegans- this is a portmanteau word combining 'free' and 'vegan'. Freegans do not buy animal products but may eat them if they would be otherwise discarded. It's an anti-consumerist, anti-food waste movement.
People following a Raw Food diet are usually Raw Foodists, or if Raw and Vegan occasionally Rawgans. Some raw foodists will eat raw meat or bone broths and are not vegetarian.Raw Food is usually deemed to be food not heated above 42 degrees.
Coeliacs are sufferers of a disease, it is a medically recognised term for an auto-immune condition. People avoiding gluten are usually referred to as gluten intolerant. They may or may not be vegetarian or vegan also.
Ayurvedics - people following an ayurvedic diet based on ancient Indian teachings will be vegan but will not usually consume mushrooms, garlic or onions as they are considered to 'excite' the digestive system.
Fruitarians - only eats nuts, berries, fruits and seeds. They are vegan.
Breatharians - supposedly people who can survive on fresh air and sunlight- this is NOT a diet we would recommend!
Why don’t Real Foods use the term veggan?
Vegans come in many shapes and sizes and don’t necessarily share the same reasons for eating a vegan diet. However many people are following a vegan diet out of a core principle that animals are not ours to be used. It’s essentially about respecting animals, not causing them harm or using them as property. Adding eggs to this diet basically flies in the face of the reason to follow the diet and some vegans may find it disrespectful or simply inaccurate. To find out more about a vegan diet - have a look at our vegan page here.
How do vegans get their protein without eggs?
One of the reasons touted for veggan is the addition of a cost-effective and excellent source of protein from eggs to a vegan diet. Vegan diets can be low in protein, so most vegans are advised to plan their main meals around a good source of plant protein. Chickpeas, lentils and other members of the legume and bean families are excellent sources of protein, along with tofu (made from soya beans) and tahini. If a vegan is eating a diet rich in these foods there is little need for additional protein. Also some vegans will add a supplement of vegan protein (pea protein, brown rice protein and hemp protein are all popular). These can be mixed into smoothies or added to baking to enrich a vegan diet.
How do vegans bake without eggs?
Vegans often use egg replacers, either homemade (see the infographic on the right for suggestions) or pre-prepared. There are ready-made egg replacers from Orgran and Ener-G Foods along with a clever new product from VeganEgg that will make scrambeld eggs or omelettes. We've got an article with a few of the more exciting vegan products we stock - check it out here.
There are also a huge range of vegan recipes on our site - try out a few and see just how tasty they are.
What about vitamin B12 in a vegan diet?
Vitamin B12 is often discussed in vegan dietary guidelines as the majority in people’s diets comes from animal sources. However there are other options. The only reliable vegan sources of B12 are foods fortified with B12 (including some plant milks, some soy products and some breakfast cereals) and B12 supplements. Vitamin B12, whether in supplements, fortified foods, or animal products, comes from micro-organisms. Most vegans consume enough B12 to avoid anaemia and nervous system damage, but some do not get enough to minimise potential risk of heart disease or pregnancy complications. One of the most popular products in our shop is engevita flakes with added B12 which is used widely to create savoury sauces and toppings.
Is Real Foods vegan?
Real Foods sell a huge range of vegetarian foods, many of which are also vegan. Each product will have tags to clearly show if the product is vegetarian, vegan, organic, gluten free or raw. The only products not marked vegetarian and so not displaying the symbol are a few pet foods and some omega supplements that contain fish. Each symbol has the word next to it also and links to a page describing that diet type.
This is our vegetarian symbol
This is our organic icon
This is our vegan symbol
This is our raw icon
This is our gluten free icon